


children of the ARK

by burstaffinity



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games), Xenoblade Chronicles, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Video Game)
Genre: Alvis is Ontos (Xenoblade Chronicles), Gen, Malos Is An Edgelord (ironically), minor shulk/alvis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-15 01:26:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29055852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/burstaffinity/pseuds/burstaffinity
Summary: An AI seeks to understand himself and others better -- and a hedgehog wants a friend, regardless if he'll admit to it.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 25





	children of the ARK

**Author's Note:**

> 1) I am writing a longer one shot with similar themes for the because i love you series + 2) I've been bedridden for a month waiting for glasses that came in today, and have recently spent the time watching Sonic games on YouTube = I will deal with the implications of Malos and Shadow existing in the same world when the time comes. Thanks to MachineryField for reading this over!

It took him a moment to notice it was there, but it registered: a very… strange sensation. How could he put it? Like he was being watched? Yes. He felt just as he did when he was being observed by Professor Gerald and Galea (and, sometimes, her assistant). Which made the sensation even stranger. How could he feel the same as he did in front of people when he was alone in this room?

This was a new emotion.

Galea told him that he would develop different emotions as he continued to learn. Some of these emotions would be good, such as his feelings of friendship towards Galea. Some of these emotions would be bad. This new, uneasy sensation certainly felt bad. “But do not run away from your negative emotions,” Galea had advised. “Listen to what they are trying to tell you. They may be giving you a warning, that something you need is not being met. Or that you are in danger. Try to assess your emotions through the context of what is happening to you.”

Context as in… physical sensation. Or location. He did not feel anything abnormal, physically. His location was a break room. When he entered, it was empty.

And yet he felt as if he were being…

He looked behind him, suddenly –

“I’m so sorry!”

The blonde girl was standing before him in an instant. He felt… happiness? Something approximating happiness. He was not happy because of the girl, but because her approach and speech had stopped him from being overwhelmed by several negative emotions, too many for him to possibly process. As— _gratitude!_ The emotion he felt was _gratitude—_ and as an expression of gratitude, heoffered a reassuring smile to the child. “It is alright,” he replied.

His smile and words did not erase the unsettled look on her face.

“We frightened you, didn’t we, Mister Alvis?”

 _We_?

Ah, yes – of course, standing behind her was the black hedgehog who had come to be her shadow as of late.

“I did believe I was alone in this room,” Alvis replied.

“Hmm.” The black hedgehog folded his arms, looking at Alvis with narrowed eyes and a slight scowl.

“I’m sorry?” asked Alvis.

“Don’t mind him,” the girl replied. “Actually, we… came here to…”

She suddenly began to blush. There were a number of emotions that may have caused her to do that. In this way, Alvis was not a good read of people. He could not begin to guess at what she was feeling.

The black hedgehog spoke up: “Maria, I think we should leave.”

“But I thought you--”

“We should leave Alvis alone. We’ve clearly disturbed him.”

“Only in that you were not expected,” Alvis replied. “I am not disturbed by your presence at all.”

“I see,” said the hedgehog, turning his gaze towards Alvis once more. His eyes were wider this time. His previous gaze had felt negative. This current gaze seemed to match what Maria was feeling. What was that feeling? Alvis stopped himself from frowning out of frustration, focusing instead on the silence the three of them had fallen in to.

After a few moments, Maria spoke: “Mr. Alvis… Shadow wanted to meet you.”

Surprise! Yes, he was familiar with surprise. The context for this surprise was logical as well: why would a biological creation such as the hedgehog want to meet artificial intelligence?

“Did he?” Alvis asked, regarding the hedgehog with an expression he hoped properly conveyed his surprise.

“Maria…” the hedgehog sighed.

“There’s no point hiding it now, Shadow,” said Maria. “Mr. Alvis, Shadow wanted to meet you because… you’re like him.”

“I am?” Alvis said, in a way that felt like his expression and emotion had gotten away from him. He did not yet have the words for what he was feeling. He stored this observation away, to retrieve for analysis later.

“Yes,” Maria replied. “You were created here, just like he was.”

“Ah. You are correct, although we were created for different reasons, and from different materials.”

“Oh. That’s true,” said Maria with a frown.

“I’m sure that won’t prevent us from becoming friends,” Alvis replied, his reassuring grin reappearing.

“Hmph. I don’t need friends,” said the hedgehog.

Alvis… Alvis couldn’t quite explain, and again it felt like his emotions and expressions were getting away from him. But he laughed. He laughed and he laughed and he _laughed_. “You remind me of my brother!” Alvis gasped out. “Though he is never being serious. You seem quite sincere.”

The hedgehog’s expression was now that of clear displeasure. It did not perturb Alvis in the slightest.

“I _don’t_ need friends!” hissed Shadow.

But Maria laughed as well. “What about me?” she asked.

“You’re different,” Shadow replied, his expression now looking… ah, Alvis gave up trying to parse their expressions.

“It is quite alright,” said Alvis. “I am still developing my emotions. I do not believe I would make a good friend as I am now. But, I would not mind becoming friends with you, Shadow. I will wait for you when you are ready. Perhaps by then my brother will be active outside the Processor as well. I believe you two would make even better friends than you and I.”

“I’ve had enough of this,” Shadow growled. “Maria, I’ll wait for you outside.”

Alvis and Maria watched Shadow as he exited the room – and as they held back their laughter.

Maria let out a sigh. “Shadow didn’t mean to be rude, he--”

“He must be navigating this new life much as I am,” Alvis replied. “Well, if I see him around when I am not busy, I will try my best to befriend him. Is that satisfactory?”

Maria nodded her head. “Thank you!”

“You are quite welcome.”

And so Maria darted out of the room, leaving Alvis alone once more. Yes, he was certain he was alone this time, alone to sort out his emotions about what happened.

...where to begin?

Alvis himself let out a sigh, certain he’d spend this moment of solitude instead mulling over the troublesome feelings he had about Galea’s assistant.


End file.
